Fire extinguisher



Dec. 5, 1933. F. E. BENNETT FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed Feb. 23. 1935 Q INVENTOR a I Y klIBennetb,

V ATTORNEYS or secured to a wall or the like.

patented Dec. 1933 a .UNITED LHSTATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE EXTINGIIISHER Floyd E. Bennett, Sutton, Nebr. Application February 23, 1933. Serial No. 658,207 2 Claims. (01. 189-26) This invention relates to improvements in fire extinguishers, and its objects are as follows:-

First, to provide a grenade carrier or" a shape 5 suggestive of a wishbone, the grenade being supported in an overbalancing position in the forked end when the carrier is mounted on certain supporting arms, there being a link to normally hold the extension of the carrier but releasing the carrier upon being destroyed by heat, thereby letting the grenade fall and break.

Second, to provide a rockable grenade carrier which will rock when its holding link is destroyed, and thereby drop the grenade.

1o Third, to make the link of such length as to dispose the carrier at an upward inclination from the horizontal plane and thus insure the retension of the grenade in the forked end.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the entire fire extinguisher, particularly illustrating the rockable wishbone grenade carrier.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view partially in elevation, showing how the carrier is disposed at an upward inclination from the horizontal plane to insure the retension of the grenade.

The invention resides in the entire supporting means for holding a charged grenade in position above a location where it is desired to have the grenadedrop andburst upon the occurrence 1, of a fire. The outstanding principles are outlined in the foregoing brief statements of the objects of the invention, and these are explained in detail in the following description.

Attention is directed to the drawing. A main Su port 1 is adapted to be either loosely hung This support comprises a generally rectangular plate, but it does not necessarily have to be of that particular configuration. It has a pair of forwardly extending supporting arms 2. The free ends of --these arms are notched at 3 on the top sides. The notches 3 are in transverse alinement.

A grenade carrier, generally designated 4 is situated between the supporting arms 2. Obviously these are spaced to accommodate the carrier. The latter is of a shape suggesting a wishbone. It comprises a fork 5, trunnions 6 and an extension '7. The arms 2 are wider apart than the members of the fork which necessitates extending the trunnions to points beyond the lateral dimension of the fork all for the purpose of establishing a high degree of lateral stability for the carrier, insuring against its easy upsetting by a side blow against the grenade. The fork has a covering 8 of rubber or of some other material having a soft gripping quality. 7 i

The trunnions 6 are seated in the alined notches 3. The grenade carrier 4 is thus rockably mounted. The terminal of the extension 7 has a pin 9 over which the upper end of a destructible link 10 is hooked. The lower end of the link is hooked over a pin 11 on the main support 1. The link 10 is composed of a material which will be destroyed by a fire in the vicinity of the fire extinguisher. Usually the material will be fusible metal. It might comprise something that will burn. A cardboard or cord link would serve the purpose, although a fusible metallic link is more durable.

It is not so essential that the pin 9 be provided for the attachment of the upper end of the link. This might be looped over the extremity of the extension 7. But inasmuch as the link 10 will ordinarily consist of fusible metal the pin 9 is desirable because it constitutes a simpler and more effective means of attachment. The pins 9 and 11 are turned in directions away from each other so as to insure the holding of the link 10.

A grenade 12 of glass filled with a fire extinguishing substance, is supported by its flanged neck 13 between the members of the fork 5. The flange rests on the covering 8. The grenade is hermetically sealed at 14 after filling. The grenade 12 is supported in an overbalancing porsition in the fork 5. The link 10 holds the grenade in thatposition, but when the link 10 is destroyed the grenade 12 will fall and break.

It is to be observed in Figure 2 that the carrier 4 is disposed at an upward inclination from i the horizontal plane. The inclination is slight as shown, but it is suliicient to insure the retension of the grenade 12 because the flanged neck of the latter will tend to settle back against the closed end of the fork. This removes the possibility of the grenade slipping out of position and falling by virtue of ordinary vibrations which may be transmitted to the fire extinguisher.

The operation is readily understood. The trunnions 6 of the carrier 4 are rested in the transversely alined notches 3 and establish a rockable mount. Although this mount is described as rockable it is desired to be more broadly classified as being movable because it is conceivable that instead of the carrier 4 rocking with respect to its supporting means 1, 2, the same purpose would be obtained by letting the carrier slip off. Upon inserting the grenade 12 in the fork 5 the grenade will naturally be in an overbalancing position, but it is held in that position when the link 10 is attached to the pin 11 and to the extension '7 either directly or to its pin 9. Upon destruction of the link 10 the weight of the grenade 12 will cause the carrier 4 to rock on its trunnion 6 and let the grenade slip out of the open end of the fork and so fall.

I claim:-

1. A grenade, a carrier having a fork at one end with members to support the grenade and attachment means at the opposite end for the connection of a fire destructible link, trunnions projecting from opposite sides of the carrier substantially medially of its ends, supporting means comprising arms, said arms having notches in which the trunnions tul'nably rest, said arms being Wider apart than the members of the fork, and a fire destructible link connected at one end to the attachment means, said supporting means having attachment means for the connection of the other end of the link.

2. A grenade, a forked carrier to support the grenade in its fork, trunnions extending from the sides of the carrier to points beyond the lateral dimension of the fork, supporting means comprising arms extending to said points, said supporting means having notches in which the trunnions turnably rest, and fire-destructible means attached to the carrier and said supporting means to tend to prevent turning of the carrier.

FLOYD E. BENNETT. 

